3rd-4th Dec...LJ goes boom

[madscientist]

Where to start....

Got down to the shores ahead of the Arne inspired crowd and headed north with the holy mac to make bait. Worked around to find the greenies, eventually loaded up. Psychopup came by but wasn't in an overly playful mood. Just as we decide we're stocked, birds go crazy over the canyon.

Full speed paddle, throw out a croc for the troll. Get over the canyon, about halfway across into the birds, and the croc gets whacked. Nice fight for 10 minutes but once we go vertical, hook pulls. Damn, but this is just the beginning. The plastic fleet is getting hammered, guys hooked up left and right. Join up and get some baits down, trying to stay out of the way of the various guys getting towed around. One rod gets bent, but doesn't stick. A little later, second rod gets whacked and I'm on. Good fight but as I try to horse it up the sticky drag on my reel wears a hole and the hook pulls. Damn. Two other good strikes don't stick. Tide slacks and that's it. I went back across the canyon for more bait, in hopes that te outgoing swing would produce a similar bite. Only produced this nonsence...



and this...



I ended the day 0-2 on solid hookups and 0-3 on bites. The yak fleet did much better, including multiple multiples, right on guys!. Call me Farmer Brown . Some percussion loving SOB was putting on a show, a real thing of beauty to behold. Everyone agrees to keep it under wraps, sort of .8)

Sunday the launch is packed...who leaked? Apparently nobody, but still a full house on the beach. I went with the same game plan and went north for bait. Had trouble getting a GPS fix so I couldn't get on my favorite spots, but found a couple green ones. Like clockwork, the birds formed up and the calls over the radio start. I got over to the fleet to find several bendos. Start working the iron as yak after yak gets towed off. No bites. Finally I feel something but it turns out to be a nice squid. Cool, I hate the iron anyway.

Quick flurry of action then it quiets. Several of us move back up wind and I pin the squid, figuring this is my best shot. It hits bottom, 1...2...3, bendo! Plucky little fat fish does his thing, but after yesterdays pulled hooks I let him have his fun. Almost pulls me into a PBer that, at the last minute, finally backs away. Get the fish to color but I am staring into the sun and can't find my gaff. Try to grab the thing but then I finally see my handle and stick the little guy. 17#.



Shortly thereafter the bite ended and that was that. Not the same carnage as Saturday but many fish died. Heck, even the PBer's caught some. :shock: Beautiful conditions both days and a whole bunch of talent and good company on the water. I'm sure there will be many other exciting tales (tails) to come.

The fat lady is sitting on her couch, drinking a beer. This seasons got more to give...



P.S. Good luck to Andy and Arne as they race for the finish. I think I'll just hope for a place on the podium and enjoy the thrill of having been in the chase close to the end. Guess I'll save that vacation time for some time when it can be better used (like, say, January ) Cheers!

[Dennis]

Excellent report and fish, Brad... I Couldn't make it out. Your fish was caught on the bottom, no. How about the hook ups earlier in the morning? Top water troll, or down a little? I want to try to make it out tomorrow morning, and need a little info... Thanks, D

[madscientist]

Go deep!

[twinfin]

What time did all the madness shut down? might be able squeeze in a early lunch run...Congrats on the fish Brad!

[Brett D.]

Thanks for the report Brad. It figures they would go off on the one weekend a month that my wife works. Just ran into another yakker who was out there this morning at Wal Mart. He was getting his pictures developed of the tails his group of 4 caught this morning. I have been banging my head into various objects ever since.
Brett

[madscientist]

It was a short window this morning, longer Sat, but done by 10:00. They seem to go on the feed, then do whatever YT do when not voraciously hitting bait.

[ski]

Thanks for the report Brad. I Just checked this site for the first time in a week because I am out here in Pa. hunting. Nice to see all the reports of fish and to see what looks like nice weather on the water.
On another note, the weather here is right around 30 and the last week was downright cold with like a 15 deg wind chill. BRRRRR! Yesterday I shot a doe to fill the tag. I had 2 buck coming up the hill toward me but the doe saw me and spooked them so I strategicly placed a .270 round in her head for a quick clean kill. Right now there is 2" of snow on the ground with another 2 coming tonight. Perhaps tomorrow I will get to harvest a buck............
Mark

[Dean Machine]

So, there I was, right in the middle of it as soon as it started. After much trial and error and countless hours of wrong spot wrong time. I cant believe it, HOOK UP! :shock: I'm getting towed and some STRONG headshaking and praying that this thing doesn't throw the hook and lands on my dinner table. Uh, Oh, lobster buoy :twisted: , O.K. I'm still far enough away but maybe not because I'm not moving or gaining any line now and no more head shaky. :cry: A couple other fellow yakers said maybe I was hung up but I was still not willing to admit defeat . ops: Toyed around awhile longer (just long enough for the bite to vanish into the deep and not return) while everyone else got towed. I contemplated breaking my line and starting over but what if......no what if. ops: ops: Then I got some help from I believe Ken and Brad and I didn't get the other names. Thanks guys. Saved my 6x. I owe you. If you see me out I am carrying a couple extra MRE's from now on for whoever wants it just incase someone needs a waterproof lunch to stay out just a little longer. Wish I could offer some sound tips or advice but I don't have any yet. Still learning and doing it mostly the hard way. Thanks for the help. Oh, sometimes not posting makes things a little fishy too!

[madscientist]

Dean,
Sorry there was no fish on the end of that. You got hooked up early in the game, in fact I had to get out of your way right as I joined the fleet. Sucks he took you into the buoy. I was hoping we'd pull that pot up and find a big yellow stuck to the rope! My only thought would be that you might want slightly heavier line so you can put some wood to them if they head for trouble. But sometimes there is nothing you can do. Get em next time!

[Lit-up1]

Caught on deep iron on the second drop of the morning-
My biggest YT of the year.
Dave

Thanks for the shot Chris-To submit or not to submit?-I may not be able
to go out againg this week :cry: :cry:

[Arne]

Wow! Nice job all.

Boston sucks ... snowing, cold, and no YT - back Thursday for the bite, hopefully.

Good luck.

Arne

[Jeff S.]

Saturday was a day to behold, if there is a perfect day of kayak fishing this could have been one. As Brad said the birds went off early, I worked my way over and two yakers were on. I got the camera out thinking I could get both of them in the same frame with bent rods...it didnt happen. I drop a blue/white salas a couple of times and its a hook up...one topside now, reposition to the action and wham another one on...two topside now. All the while hooting and yelling from guys disappearing on their sleigh rides only to return with a huge smile. My first YT went about 19# and the second 25#, lots of phone calls to get rid of the fish. La Jolla is a beautiful thing, from surfing to diving to Rudi's to kayak fishing, I know why I've never thought of leaving after 48 years here.

[Iceman]

Boston sucks ... snowing, cold, and no YT - back Thursday for the bite, hopefully.

Hurry back, Numero Uno

[stevo]

Jeff is right. Saturday was a day to remember. I launched at 6am heading straight out. Contemplating getting bait I saw birds bombing that distracted me. As I arrived I dropped my blue and white w/ black specs salas 6x junior and after 3 or 4 ... whammo. landed the 1st of 3. All at 17- 22 lbs. Lost 2 more and had enough on the arms. It all happened between 6:30 and 8:30. The fish came in waves and fast. Lot's of fun and lot's landed. Stevo

[stevo]

Jeff is right. Saturday was a day to remember. I launched at 6am heading straight out. Contemplating getting bait I saw birds bombing that distracted me. As I arrived I dropped my blue and white w/ black specs salas 6x junior and after 3 or 4 ... whammo. landed the 1st of 3. All at 17- 22 lbs. Lost 2 more and had enough on the arms. It all happened between 6:30 and 8:30. The fish came in waves and fast. Lot's of fun and lot's landed. Stevo

[Holy Mackerel]

Thanks for the shot Chris-

Damn, I do take some good pics huh, :lol: Chris' top 10 photography tips, read below... :lol:













My tips for good fishin pics,

1. Turn Camera to "on" position.

2. Make sure that you are zooming in close or with no zoom, position yourself close enough to get the Angler and the fish, almost so that it is the whole frame. No one cares about getting the whole kayak, or background. I was trying to get a tourist to take a pic on shore with just me and my fish, and this is what I get. This is my biggest YT 31lb 11oz, and it looks small!



3. Make sure the sun is in your subjects face, or the sun is behind you (the photographer).

4. Have the Angler throw a spit shine on the fish, ie dip it in the water, to rinse off, unless posting on bloodydecks

5. Make sure the fish is positioned right, so you can the side of its body. esp yellowtail, which shimmer in the sunlight like aluminum foil, where have I read that before?

6. Do some instructing, tell the angler what to do, "turn your fish this way, paddle here, so you are in the sun"

7. Tell them to smile for God's sake, these are catches of a lifetime, crack a joke, or make a fart noise, that makes people laugh. ops:

8.Take 4 or 5 pics, just in case a few come out blurry, swell, and cameras dont mix.

9. Use the highest megapixel setting you have, I have blown up several pics of me, and my friends, and they look cool in my game room. They can always photoshop to crop, or lower pixel res for online posts, or emails to friends, and family.

10. Have fun, experiment with Bendo, gaff, and action shots.

Well, I am no photographer, but these are some tips I have learned, by jacking up pics in the past. Hope this helps,

Chris :P